Why has some of the greenery in city planters been left to wither?
The council hasn’t been able to find a contractor willing to take on the job of looking after these plants, a council official says.
“Irish music has been at the forefront of communicating the black Irish experience.”
What links both releases is that they are statements from two young virtuosos determined to show and prove; turn up and throw down, writes Dean Van Nguyen.
“Support Irish musicians in whatever way you can, whether it’s buying their vinyl online, paying for their digital downloads via Bandcamp, or taking part in whatever ventures they’re working on at home to help us get through the crisis.”
Elsewhere, the relationship between producer and rapper is as celebrated as the link between a cinema auteur and their acting muse. It’s coming to the fore in Ireland, too.
“I’ve been thinking about the various forms of rap artists that distinguish our local scenes and have broadly – and I mean very broadly – come up with four different factions.”
“If a good new song is one you think you’ve heard before, then these cuts already feel as classic as a knitted jumper.”
“Their rise might have been slow and methodical but it’s led them to the cusp of a real moment.”
“Shookrah come across as young, fun, tension-free outfit with confidence in every part of their machine.”
On “Deli Daydreams”, Kojaque told us what we needed to hear. On “Green Diesel”, Kojaque and Luka give us what we need.
“The critical reverence around the band, their ascendancy to the top of the Irish cultural zeitgeist, is premature,” writes our reviewer.
The two young artists collaborate in an uncompromising strand of Irish hip-hop mostly being popularised by teenagers drawn to its short, punchy bars and murky beats.
Do Fontaines D.C.’s storming post-punk rhythms sound more Dublin than, say, Brazilian-born emcee Luthorist’s hushed rapping? asks Dean Van Nguyen.